The worlds largest event dedicated to Smallsword

Equipment and Rules

Rules

Our rules are fairly simple.

Have fun.
Be safe.
Be polite.
Always wear appropriate equipment.
Take the art seriously but don’t take yourself seriously.
If one of the organisers tells you not to do a thing…. That thing. Don’t do it.
If you like a bit of rough and tumble check with your opponent first.
If you don’t like the rough stuff say so and don’t be forced to do anything you don’t want to.

Equipment

Clothing – Please attend wearing loose, practical, comfortable clothing with soft-soled training shoes and long sleeves. All skin should be covered. Some equipment may be available to borrow but this cannot be guaranteed in any way.

Protection
Fencing mask- ideally 1600N with a 25 kg rated mesh
Gloves on both hands
Fencing jacket
Plastron- either under or over the jacket
Chest guard
Box
Gorget

Smallswords

In order to do a smallsword event clearly you need a smallsword. Smallsword design changed over time and we do creep into the foil era so we are quite flexible but we do have limits.

These may be foil, epee, “musketeer” or schlaeger bladed between 30” and 35” long. They must have a reasonable flex.
They must be blunt and the tip “buttoned” in some manner
They must have a simple hilt, but need not have a knucklebow
Foils, epees and other long, straight-bladed fleurets may be used.
Pistol-gripped swords will have you placed on the chair of shame and pointed at!
If there is any difficulty with acquiring any of this then please get in touch before the event.

We always bring our school kit to lend to people and many other attendees also bring spares so if you don’t have a sword don’t worry.

If you do borrow equipment it is on the condition that it is returned in the same, preferably better, state it was lent in. Sadly this request has been abused in the past and may jeopardise equipment loan in future.

The organisers and Instructors reserve the right to ban the use of any item of equipment they deem to be unsafe or inappropriate. This is for your and everybody else’s safety.

The Tournament

We pride ourselves on running a friendly no-fuss tournament. The aim being first and foremost a chance to have a bit of fun and fence people. We are very glad that in all the years we have run the event that the tournament has taken place in a friendly, gentlemanly manner and expect this to continue. We don’t see arguing with judges, we don’t see people “gaming” the rules and we don’t see people getting angry when they lose. What we do see is people telling the judges that they have been hit and congratulating their opponents. Long may this continue.

We are keeping the same basic format for the tournament as previous years. You will be randomly allocated into four pools and from these pools you will determine a winner based on the rules agreed by your pool. All participants are expected to assist in judging and helping to run the pool.

These winners will then go into the semi-finals and final for which there will be the usual splendid prize, as well as the honour of being the victor.

This year we will also have an area set aside for those who do not wish to take part in the tournament or who may not be permitted to take part under their school rules. There will instead be a place for beginners free play under direct supervisionof an experienced instructor.